10 Reasons The Church Cannot Be Transformed

Transformation is like the difference between Noah's ark and the Apollo spacecraft. | Source

What is transformation?

Transformation is not change. It's a paradigm shift. Transformation as a paradigm shift is like the difference between Noah's ark and the Apollo 11 spacecraft, or the difference between a production line and an ant colony.

Transformation is not change. It's a metamorphosis. Transformation as a metamorphosis is like a tadpole becoming a frog or a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.

Therefore, anything that undergoes transformation ceases to exist.

If the church were transformed it would cease to exist.

The system the church is built on will not allow that to happen.

The church is built on human ways and human thinking. | Source

What is the church is built on?

The church is built on the same system as any other organisation. The church is built using human ways and human thinking:

Hierarchy.

Formal use of power and authority.

Routine and mechanistic ways of getting things done.

Predominance of one-way communication.

This system of organising people and their activities has been around for thousands of years. We can see it at work in all ancient civilisations.

In the past, the system was seen as something oppressive and unfair. It kept people at the top rich and powerful, while people at the bottom were often in some form of slavery.

In 1911 however, the system had a makeover. F.W. Taylor published his work, "Principles of Scientific Management". The system was now formalised into an acceptable and fully justifiable way of finding the one best way to complete a task or solve a problem.

Together with the concept of meritocracy, the idea that we achieve our position in life based on our ability and effort, the system has today become our paradigm. It is everywhere.

The system is our accepted and normal way of life. Just like "The Matrix" we are born into it, we serve it, yet we don't even know it exists.

We can credit Constantine as the "Founding Father" of the church system. | Source

Founding fathers.

F. W. Taylor is often credited as being the "Founding Father" of Scientific Management. As such he can be credited with shaping the system our contemporary churches are built on.

However, the man we can credit with being the "Founding Father" of the church system in its entirety is Constantine.

The Lord Jesus Christ did not found a church, he laid the foundations for His ekklesia.

Constantine, on the other hand, swept aside any ideas of the Lord's ekklesia by creating what has today become the Roman Catholic Church; a man-made, demon inspired religious system that uses the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit inspired scriptures to gain and maintain control over the souls of men.

When Constantine established the church system, it was the same kind of rebellion as Jeroboam establishing the northern kingdom of Israel; a false Christ with a false priesthood offering false sacrifices on false altars and preaching a false gospel (which will soon be confirmed with false signs an wonders).

Although the reformation attempted to correct much of the false teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, it did not touch the system. In many respects, perhaps the reformation strengthened the church system because "the laity" were taught to be dependant on "the clergy" to keep them from false teaching.

The Roman Catholic Church and her daughters.

When we look at the structure of the Roman Catholic church, it's hierarchy, formal use of power and authority and so on, we see this same this very same structure in all churches. It still exists with the house, simple and "organic" churches.

In its simplest form, the system in the church is seen in the clergy/laity divide.

We might say that although people come out of the system, the system remains in them. This is because the system is our paradigm. The system's structure and ways are part of our belief system. The system itself is an idol.

So wherever we see a clergy/laity divide, with formal positions and titles, we see the influence of the Roman Catholic Church.

When Jehoshaphat aligned himself with Ahab that was the beginning of the end for the southern kingdom of Judah.

Today, we see churches aligning themselves with the Roman Catholic Church. It's the beginning of the end.

I have no doubt the Lord is allowing this to happen to show us our true spiritual condition.

A short video exploring the differences between the church and the ekklesia.

The church and the ekklesia compared.

The church is built on a system that has been designed to run like a machine. A perfect picture of the system at work is the production line.

On the other hand, the Lord's ekklesia functions more like an ant colony.

The difference between the two represents a paradigm shift. For this to occur, a transformation is required.

To expound on my thinking, I made a short video.

The church cannot allow transformation.

For the church to become the Lord's ekklesia would require a paradigm shift in the thinking of each and every person within it. Each member of the church would need to undertake a journey of personal transformation.

Transformation is a process of metamorphosis that requires that we die to self and live for Christ.

Anything that undergoes metamorphosis ceases to exist. But the system always acts to protect itself. It does not want to die.

Therefore, the church resists all the Lord's attempts to transform it.

In the past we have looked at God and the body of Christ from the perspective of the church. Now, we must look the church and the body of Christ from the Lord's perspective. | Source

10 reasons church transformation is not possible.

The resistance of the church to be transformed into the Lord's ekklesia expresses itself in the following ways:

Cynical unbelief that the future can be radically different from the past (the unbelieving soldier in 2 Kings 7).

Inaccurate perceptions of the status quo (the two baskets of figs in Jeremiah 24 and the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon).

Lack of motivation for the long haul (Deuteronomy 28:15-68).

Reliance on human ways and human thinking (Book of Hosea).

Inability to learn from the Lord (2 Chronicles 7:13-14).

Giving in to old habits (the Israelites who perished in the wilderness).

The ultimate purpose of the church system.

I have no doubt in my mind that Constantine founded the church system as a means to gain and maintain control over whole populations. He had the idea from a vision of a burning cross and a voice from heaven. Constantine's idea of starting the church was demonically inspired.

Constantine founded an organisation based on setting aside the righteousness of God. Constantine built an organisation where men can establish their own righteousness. This was the desire of men when building the tower of Babel.

Down through the centuries, despite reformation, revivals and repeated attempts by the Lord to correct, change and transform the church system it remains intact. The church is a spiritual entity separate from the Lord and His body.

I have no doubt the Lord has used the church system to keep His people. The Israelites were kept in Babylon until the right time to be released. After the return of the captives to Jerusalem, Babylon was destroyed.

After the Lord's people have come out of the church system it will be destroyed.

The ultimate purpose of the church is to gather dead branches, ready for them to be burned.

Comments

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sending

A. Brother

5 years ago

Steve:

The truth of Christ's ekklesia is the firm foundation I stand on, and it was with great happiness I just read this word. I have received this same truth over the past few years and written a series of straightforward messages that speak to it. Ekklesia. Freedom from religion, and thanks for posting. Feel free to hear the word at my site: http://narrowgatepub.blogspot.com.

AUTHOR

freeradicalsteve

5 years ago

Thanks Jim. The main point I try to communicate in all my work is that church is not ekklesia. They are two completely different spiritual entities. While I understand that by using the word church you probably mean ekklesia, and therefore the terms can be used interchangeably, I no longer see things that way. When I use the word church I do not mean ekklesia in any way, shape or form. So when John wrote his letters, I see him as writing to the ekklesia in various locations, and I agree, the 7 ekklesia are a picture of the "whole" at any given time.

When I use the word church I am referring to the "her" that the Lord calls His people out of in Revelation 18. For me, the church is not the body of Christ, but a large part of the body of Christ is within the church.

Church is not the ekklesia because church is a human system, with human ways and human thinking. So in my mind I am not challenging the words of John at all, rather, I am fulfilling the prophecy of Revelation 18, and calling people out of church and into Christ.

Jim

5 years ago

Dear Mr. Dine,

While I tend to agree with most of what you say about the church, I am not fully persuaded all churches are not what you say. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus in the seven letters expressed exhortation for only five churches to repent. Smyrna and Philadelphia are both without rebuke, so there is no such command from Jesus given to them to repent.

Ironside, a well-known early twentieth century theologian said, “Many believe that in the letters to the seven churches God has not only given a message that had a direct, literal application to the assemblies named in John's day, but that there is a hidden, prophetic meaning in them, outlining in a very striking way the state of the church from apostolic days to the end of its testimony on earth…But one thing is very evident, and that is, that in these letters the Lord has given us a diagnosis of every state or condition in which His churches may be found at any time throughout the Christian epoch.

While Jesus is only finding fault with five of the seven types of churches during the age of grace, how can you unreservedly fault all of them by saying, “The ultimate purpose of the church is to gather dead branches, ready for them to be burned?” Are you challenging the inspired words scripted by the apostle John?

Your gracious response would be appreciated.

R D Langr

5 years agofrom Minnesota

I don't think you actually understand the ecclesiological nature and mission of the Catholic Church and how the hierarchy actually function within it. Also, what about the Church Fathers before constantine that embody much of the current RC Church and still are true to the teachings of Christ... I'm thinking of Clement and Justin Martyr primarily, but also Irenaeus.

You're right, Christ did not "establish" the Church, nor the papacy. But he did lay the foundations for his teachings to be past on through his Apostles. Through what other way can that happen other than the "hierarchy"?

You'll probably say the Spirit inspired interpretation of the Bible...which is true... but I don't think Christ left us with a book before he ascended either, and the oral Gospel preaching of the Apostles predate their writings.

I agree that through much of its history, there has been problems present in the way the Church conducted and used its hierarchy, but that does not make the system in and of itself evil or "demon inspired" (rather strong and judgmental language for a human to use, don't you think?). I also wouldn't say its correct to say that Constantine is credited with establishing the hierarchy. The single-local bishop method of running a local episcopate was taking hold as early as 150 (Ireneaus mentions it in his writings).

Sean

5 years ago

Hi Steve, thank you for putting together the article.

I think you hit it straight on as to why the church system is a separate entity, and how it really is a human fabrication apart from the instructions of Scripture. I'd like to list a few thoughts:

"The Lord Jesus Christ did not found a church, he laid the foundations for His ekklesia."

I think this is an important statement. I think that it would be good to define what the ekklesia is. For example, many church attenders do not know what it is, or what it means; even those who have heard of it, only hear about it from a church system perspective, and not a biblical one. So if I were a church attender, and I read this, I would not understand why you say Jesus did not found a church, but founded the ekklesia. It would seem "church", and "ekklesia" are the same thing to me, because that is what the church system teaches today.

I think it was interesting you made comparisons of the ekklesia to racing cars, and the team it takes to make racing possible. However, I was not sure how they were similar. Same thing with the ant colony: how is the biblical concept of the ekklesia similar to the structure of an ant colony?

When you say that the church system structure is like a production line, I take it that church attenders will not understand why you say so. For example, what is being produced in the "church production line"? I think I can see what you mean by your comparisons but I'm not exactly sure in what ways they are similar.

Last but not least, you wrote in a caption under a photo:

"In the past we have looked at God and the body of Christ from the perspective of the church. Now, we must look the church and the body of Christ from the Lord's perspective."

I think this also is very important, and I think it should be expounded upon. I think (maybe as another article) you should write about what it looks like to see things from the Lord's perspective, and why the church system does not do this.

I hope this helps, and thanks again for writing a great article and make the video!

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